However, she recently created something that, though unedible, is more permanent: a scale model of the Riverside to mark the 36th anniversary of the casino.

The model, on display in the casino, measures 5 by 5 feet and is 4 feet high.

It consists of buildings carved from Styrofoam, icing, miniature cars, plastic palm trees and other ingredients and features, her husband, Bill, said.

Meredith's supervisor, executive chef Ed Noce, assigned her the task earlier this month, and she handled it with aplomb.

Noce could not be reached for comment Monday,

"He wanted that 4 feet tall, so I measured the Riverside myself," she said.

"I took pictures.

I came up with this model."

Meredith's husband, a retired mechanical engineer, said he did the scale work by cutting blocks of Styrofoam.

"I estimated how many rooms there were, and then I made the scale accurate to the height," he said.

However, Bill Meredith said, his wife did most of the work.

Janis Meredith said it took 80 hours to build the cake and 32 hours to decorate it.

She said she used 45 pounds of butter cream icing and 15 pounds of chocolate fudge.

By contrast, Janis, a baker since 1979, said it takes her about 2.5 hours to prepare a wedding cake.

While much smaller than the actual casino, the model contains graphic details, according to her husband, such as swimming pools, the north and south towers, the section of the hotel where pet owners stay and a parking garage.

"You could not make that out of an edible product," she said.

Janis said her experience taught her that she prefers making something more permanent in nature.

"I think I would rather make something that is going to be on display," she said.